


put your arms around me

by doubtthestars



Category: Football RPF
Genre: Christmas Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-23
Updated: 2015-12-23
Packaged: 2018-05-08 13:44:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5499182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/doubtthestars/pseuds/doubtthestars
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If there was one thing Mario was sure of is that Marco was terrible with grand gestures, or at least executing them, and he couldn't wrap a present to save his life. Come to think of it, Marco was abysmal with picking out gifts without input or hints from the person he was shopping for. </p>
<p>Which is why when he showed up with a kitschy wooden box shaped like a tree and wrapped with a red bow, warning bells went off in his head. </p>
<p>Mario sniffed suspiciously, squinting his eyes comically at Marco. "What is that?"</p>
            </blockquote>





	put your arms around me

**Author's Note:**

  * For [veidtous](https://archiveofourown.org/users/veidtous/gifts).



> this was originally your idea. at least in passing.
> 
> title: [x](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvbErM6ZTBA)
> 
> Be warned, this is cheesy af. xoxo

If there was one thing Mario was sure of is that Marco was terrible with grand gestures, or at least executing them, and he couldn't wrap a present to save his life. Come to think of it, Marco was abysmal with picking out gifts without input or hints from the person he was shopping for. 

Which is why when he showed up with a kitschy wooden box shaped like a tree and wrapped with a red bow, warning bells went off in his head. 

Mario sniffed suspiciously, squinting his eyes comically at Marco. 

"What is that?" He got closer to peer at the innocent box. Marco's arms had impression marks from carrying it in so it was marginally heavy. It was festive, painted in a deep green to imitate a pine tree in a cartoon-y, boxy sort of way. Marco huffed at him. He had been over at Mel's before driving to spend the rest of their break together. They would head out to Mario's grandmother's house to spend Christmas with them and come back to spend New Year's Eve with Marco's family.

Marco hadn't been the happiest when they finalized their plans, still vaguely uncomfortable with Mario's mother who looked at him like he was riff-raff at best. 

"It's not some sort of ploy by Mel to get you to spend Christmas with us, just open it will you?" He grumbled about getting out of decorating here only to help his sister with her tree and untangling lights to go on the roof. She hadn't even let him eat one cookie out of the dozens she was baking for her work mates. 

Mario eagerly pulled the bow and lifted the top of the box. It was lighter than he expected. The inside was sectioned off into cubby holes for small wrapped presents with numbers on them. It was an advent calendar. 

"It's almost Christmas, why would Mel give me an advent calendar?" Marco shrugged, sighing and making a move to grab one of the colorful gifts before Mario slapped his hand away. 

"She heard me bit-complaining about not having a Christmas tree this year since we were so busy and figured this could be a stand in. Nico got one of those pocket hanging ones from his teacher and she had this one stored in the attic for forever apparently so she gave it to me for you. It's restocked with a bunch of candy and chocolate." Mario quickly did the math in his head and decided he could be nice, sharing his gift with Marco.

"Alright, we get twelve each and the last one can wait 'til Christmas. Wanna watch a movie?" Marco mumbled a yeah as he swiped the number 11 to sit on the couch. Mario grabbed the 10 and 19 to join him. They settled on Die Hard as a Christmas movie that wasn't too Christmassy. They found a kazoo in one of the boxes and a paper crown, a jumbo gummi bear and a chocolate Santa Claus. Marco eventually got over his grumpy mood and started kazoo-ing Justin Bieber songs for Mario to guess and laugh at. 

Home Alone was on in the background as they cuddled and took a nap. 

Marco tugged at his jacket sleeve, adjusting it and took another look at his hair in the reflection of his phone. He looked decent and wasn't wearing his usual array of clothing, trying to look the part of a guest even if Mario's grandmother had welcomed him and told him to treat it as his house. Felix had been trailing behind him not so subtly, bored of his family until Mario put his foot down.

"Felix, don't you think you've asked Marco enough questions. Go help Oma with something." Mario dismissed his younger brother, coming out of the house onto the porch deck with the Bayern red drawstring bag in his hand ("Get it? like Santa." "you're a dork, Sunny.") Felix didn't budge but eyed the bag with interest.

"I'm banned from the kitchen. I set off the fire alarm before you guys got here. What's that?" Mario let out an aggravated sound from the back of his throat. He reaches into the bag and tosses one of presents for Felix to catch. It was the number 14.

"Merry Christmas, brat. It's an advent calendar, we're sharing one." He hands over the bag to Marco, who tries not to laugh at the brusque explanation even though he had texted Mario to come save him from the twenty questions when he had wanted some downtime outside before their Christmas Eve dinner. He pulls out the 7 and throws it up high for Mario to get, rummaging for another one for himself.

Felix makes a face like he had just realized how grossly domestic their relationship was. 

"Right, that's...cute. I'm gonna go." He walked back inside shaking the little box in his hand to a tune of his own making. 

Mario shakes his head but leans down to press their mouths together. Marco smiles against his lips before tilting his head into the kiss, reaching automatically to cup his face with his hand. Mario pulled back a fraction, whispering a complaint. "You're cold." His hand drops, eyes still soft, full of love. 

"Sorry." 

He takes a seat. "It's alright, dinner is almost ready, wouldn't want to mess up all your hard work." Mario jokes as he nods to his hair. Marco huffs out a laugh, peeling at the wrapping paper idly. Gumballs for Marco and a chocolate hazelnut truffle for Mario. They stay outside for a minute to take in the scenery outside, quiet and comfortable. Mario takes his hand, lacing their fingers together. 

"I'm happy you're here." It's easy to endure anything if that was the end result.

"I love you, Sunny." Mario smiled brilliantly, tugging at his hand to get up. That love meant the world to him, through the good days and the bad.

Dinner was full of start-stop conversation with Marco being minimally awkward. The mulled wine helped with his nerves, getting a laugh out of Mario's dad made him feel like he made some leeway and Mario's grandmother was actually hilarious and a great host that made him not feel like an outsider. Marco had always felt self-conscious with Mario's family. His brothers he could find common ground with but his parents, well Marco was desperate for approval from them. The first couple of years knowing Mario were full of stumbles and he couldn't take such a serious step and out himself in the process. 

After, he was angry and he blamed them in part for Mario leaving Dortmund. He was scared he wouldn't ever be up to their standards and made the distance even further, until Mel and Ivy intervened, smacking some sense into him. Last year, they had spent Christmas with Marco's family and New Years with Mario's. It was fair that they did the opposite this year. 

Marco knew with a surety that he hadn't even had with anything else, not even football, that Mario made him a better person, that he was the only one he wanted for the rest of his life. 

That's why the number 25 box was going on top of the sweater he bought Mario. 

It didn't matter if they had to wait, if it was now or later, Marco wanted to express how he felt to Mario and the rest of his family, to the whole world that he would love him until the end of time. What they had was special, beyond the field and a ball, and Marco couldn't let Nuri be the only one to give Mario a ring to remember him by.

He deliberately let the rest of his family pile Mario's presents in front of him, before adding the small box with a crooked smile on his face. Mario glanced at him before getting distracted by his Oma. Felix rolled his eyes and Fabian's eyebrows knitted together, heavy suspicion in his eyes.

Mario left the advent present for last. His mother urging him to open it.

"It's just chocolates, mom." Felix was eager to get to his presents. As the youngest, he had to go last. His mother gave him a chiding look, letting Mario take his time. It was in the same sort of kraft brown box as the others. He unpeeled the tape from the lid to find a small tin. He twisted it open, letting the box go, hearing a strangled gasp from his mom. 

The ring shone gold, brushed to looked textured and hazy. Marco was on one knee. 

(Fabian elbowed Felix, whispering "Chocolates, right?" Oma shushed them.)

"Mario," His throat bobbed, "I don't know where we'll be and what we'll do in the future but I do know that I want that future to be with you. I love you, Mario Goetze and I want to spend the rest of my life with you if you'll let me. We don't have to get married if you don't want to, but you know I'm no good with words. I couldn't find the words to show you how _much_ I love you so, so I got you a ring." His voice shook and steadied as he looked up at Mario. 

"Get up, Marco, your knee--I can't believe..." He choked up. Marco looked bemused at the order but wasn't worried because as soon as he got up, Mario clung to his neck, the ring still in his hand. 

"I will, I want to," He sucked in his bottom lip in, the hesitation in his tawny eyes clear to read. Marco cradled his head in both of his hands, staring into the eyes he loved so much. 

"It's okay, it's okay. We can wait. We can retire. I don't care. It's just you, Sunny." His forehead rest on Mario's. "I just want you. The rest can wait." Mario looked ready to start crying, his face vulnerable and crumpling inward until the moment passed, his breathing slowing down to match Marco's. 

"You already have me, Marco." He gives him the ring and Marco slips it onto his finger, rubbing it once with his thumb. They face the rest of the family with hands clasped. Felix is still gaping at the surprise. His grandmother crosses her arms. 

"I think your young man deserves a kiss." A half-garbled 'Mother' comes from Jurgen, but surprisingly she has an ally in her corner, his wife nodding along. Fabian looks away and covers Felix's eyes for good measure as Mario seals the deal with a short kiss. 

"Andre is going to kill us for not recording it." Mario murmured into his ear. 

(Fabian had it all as designated memory keeper and video recorder)

(Andre wins 100 euros as the video is passed around the NT)

**Author's Note:**

> It's almost 2k16, still writing gotzeus. u kno. 
> 
> (this had a different goddamn ending okay? but then my realistic brain knocked at the door and was like suprise bitch. I blame John Legend. damn u all of me)
> 
> p.p.s. i tried not to make this totally ooc but damn u john legend.


End file.
